The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1887-12-11
MAYBE YOU DON'T BELIEVE THIS.
Bot IL is the Frozen Truth All til. sam,

Bot IL Is the Frozen Truth All the Same.
Success always stirs up certain
amount of antagonism. The way To
popularity with the mass of humanity Is
to give somebody the devil. Critics lind
this an unfailing rule. L have never
written paragraph against an actor or
a singer sufficiently biting that has not
met with good deal of attention. i have
never written a favorable article about
ANYBODY that have not been supposed to
be specially interested. That honesty is
the best policy, is excellent and familiar
| advice. But nobody has really much
respect for an honest man. People pro-
fess to despise a dishonest man. Az a
fact, nobody cares a cent for anybody
| but himself. Altogether, a critics posi-
| ton is not SO enviable as is generally
| supposed. Managers are civil and polite;
sometimes effusiyely so. Actors are res
pectful and friendly. and generally ex-
| travagantly so. Actresses hold the critic
in peculiar regard. They do not look
upon him as a serious, intellectual being.
Perhaps they are right, very often. They
will feel more deeply offended by his
saying that they were badly dressed oi
| that they did not look well than by say
ing that they acted badly. Few women
ever try really to act. They only want
4 to make an impressive effect. As a rule
/ they only act when they have some I'M
| portant situation in the play. Other
| wise they devote their attention TO men
| tai analysis of their personal appearance.
| Actors and actresses never read the pa
/ pers, not after they have bad one ad.
verse notice. But the atmospheric per
| meation, which is very subtle around a
| theater, saturates them very quickly with
the criticism of the play and their act.
| ing. They "believe" that somebody said
| they could not act. They know when
| anybody says they can. 1t is not safe to
write favorable notice of an actor.
have in nv mind now a man who came
| out to San Francisco. He came very
| quietly and modestly, and he did not
1 even attempt to meet the critics. lie
went about his business, and when he
played he was surprised to find an al
| most unanimous chorus of praise. dc
went Oh playing and the critics went OF
praising. He began to believe that they
were telling the truth. He did not thanl
them, he said, because they were bound
to write what they thought, and if thai
was favorable SO much the better fol
him. He grew careless, and one morn
| ing he was mildly admonished. Ht
kicked. He was angry. The critics wer,
fools and asses, and did not know theil
business. They were not honest. h,
would argue every point and show tha
really what they were abusing was ,
brilliant performance, What right haC
an irresponsible reporter to speak o.
him, a student and an actor? And mor'
to the same effect. The critics did no
reply. They ceased TO give him tn,
prominence he had had. The publ,
were beginning to lose interest in him
He was more angry still. A critic haC
no right to neglect his duty. IL was th'
critics duty to the public to sit on
every one of his well-known performan
ces and write about them. And so fol
the men who had spread, if they did no
make, his reputation he had nothing bu
iabuse.-Cdndid Critic.